“Who is Ben Atkins? I’m still trying to figure that one out. I probably always will be,” writes Texas songwriter Richie Bates. “As an artist, he’s always evolving and working on something new. Whether it’s rebuilding guitars and amps, painting, carving, or just practicing with his instruments, Ben is always working, and to watch him, he makes it look like play. His most recent music is at a level I have never personally heard from him before. It seems like he’s having fun and that is nice to see.”
You might remember Atkins from his 2000 album Small Town Things, produced by Lloyd Maines. Whether or not your knowledge of Texas songwriting lore stretches back that far (mine doesn’t), you’re going to a get a kick out of “Banty Rooster.”
Ignoring the photo above, Atkins simply shreds it on this track. Not just his guitar, not the harmonica, but also the unadulterated joy in his performance. Like a lot of blues songs, it’s not about the lyrics (they’re…pretty literal) so much as the guts and swagger your pour into it. Atkins has that in spades. If you want a song that BOPS and a song that makes you feel like you can beat up ten men all at once, here you are.
Atkins is releasing seven songs throughout this summer so you’ll want to make sure you follow him on Spotify.